How is this achieved?

[Blue Eagle]

After watching a fair bit of america's next top model (sisters choice, but there are nice cameras and equally nice women ) i've come to like a technique where the model is well light and the surroundings are unexposed, as in these photos:
here and
here (this one isnt really glamour, but it shows what i am after)

I haven't done much stobist type photography but i was wondering how you create that soft light you see in the first one, but channel it toward the subject without lighting the surroundings? I thought part of achieving soft light was to ensure your source is larger than the subject, but doesnt this also mean a large area is lit?
The other day i made a cardboard snoot shape for my flashgun, i lined the inside with foil (matt side) and put some tracing paper over the front in an attempt to get soft, but direction light. However it doesn't seem to work very well and still gives harsh shadows.
Does anyone have any tips for achieving this?

 

[jamesoliverstone]

Use the inverse square law to aid you here. Low power on a light that is very close to the subject means that you could drop off the light before it hits the backdrop... Or, use a large soft light source and just light the subject with the lovely soft edge light ( by aiming the light away from the subject). And control your ambient exposure by adjusting your shutter speed to ensure that ambient light is underexposed in comparison to your flash.

Apologies if this doesn't read well, typing on my iPad on the train

 

[jamesoliverstone]

Also, if you are wondering how the backdrop behind the subject isn't being lit in some photos, it always helps to see which direction the light I'd coming from. Check the shadows and the catchlights in the eyes, you may find that the light more often than not is not coming from the camera location as it first may seem.

 

[slimboy fat]

Would a gridded and diffused beauty dish produce a result like this?

 

[ianmarsh]

The first shot is of Dan Winters taken by Jay Janner. There is a write up of the shoot here:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2010/03/dan-in-real-life.html

Janner "built the on-axis fill first, with a medium softbox behind the camera, and then used a snooted key at camera right for shape. A third flash (supplied by Winters) lit the booth from the inside."

 

[JasonRS]

Second one looks like a stage spot.

 

[JasonRS]

I haven't done much stobist type photography but i was wondering how you create that soft light you see in the first one, but channel it toward the subject without lighting the surroundings? I thought part of achieving soft light was to ensure your source is larger than the subject, but doesnt this also mean a large area is lit?

This is a mixture of hard and soft light.

What's happening in the first one is that there's a big soft fill light being used to provide a base level of light, gently filling the shadows but not fully illuminating them.

Another directional light is being used to provide shape with the shadows and is aimed just at Dan's left side (camera right) he's blocking it from hitting the background on one side, and an assistant is blocking it from Dan's back.

The there's the 3rd flash inside the booth which just throws the tiniest amount of light in behind the red curtain.

 

[jamesoliverstone]

helps now I can actually see the photos! it was all a big mess of URLs before!

The guy on stage is probably a stage spotlight from up high which is why he is lit and the surroundings arent, and they guy in the booth... as said above, check out the link for how it was done...

 

[jamesoliverstone]

The other day i made a cardboard snoot shape for my flashgun, i lined the inside with foil (matt side) and put some tracing paper over the front in an attempt to get soft, but direction light. However it doesn't seem to work very well and still gives harsh shadows.

I assume you mean a speedlight?

If so, you will never get nice soft light like this as the softness of light is directly relative to the size of the lightsource in relation to the subject.

Attempting to diffuse light by sticking something in front will help only a tiny tiny amount, you need to increase the size of the lightsource to make it softer.

Try using a gridded softbox, I am sure Flash in The Pan can help you with a low cost solution in this area...

 

[Blue Eagle]

I assume you mean a speedlight?

If so, you will never get nice soft light like this as the softness of light is directly relative to the size of the lightsource in relation to the subject.

Attempting to diffuse light by sticking something in front will help only a tiny tiny amount, you need to increase the size of the lightsource to make it softer.

Try using a gridded softbox, I am sure Flash in The Pan can help you with a low cost solution in this area...

Yes a speedlight. I see what you mean about the light source size, i was able to use my minature setup to give the effect i was looking for, but only on my watch, with the flash about 6" from the watch. As well as being very close, (as jamesoliverstone suggested) the end of the box is about the same size as the subject, giving soft light to the very small subject.

So to get this look with minimal equipment i would be wise to get a brolly/softbox and put it as close to the subject as i can, to get a good seperation between subject and background, relative to the source?